Page 12
University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, May 12, 1964
McNamara's Visit to Viet Nam No Picnic
SAIGON, South Viet Nam—(UPI)
—Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara, guarded by nearly 1,500 police and troops because of a Communist threat to kill him, today pledged U.S. aid to Viet Nam "for however long it is required" to win the guerrilla war.
McNamara arrived from West Germany for a two-day assessment of the war against the Viet Cong. He immediately began talks with the U.S. diplomatic and military chiefs here.
Vietnamese police Saturday uncovered a plot to blow up a bridge along McNamara's route into town from the airport. But today, his motorcade avoided that route and took side streets to reach the U.S. embassy without incident.
THREE SUSPECTS caught laying wires near the bridge were arrested Saturday but other members of the Terrorist group were believed still at large.
Because of the threat, unprecedented security precautions were ordered. A battalion of about 450 battle-ready Vietnamese paratroopers reinforced 1,000 Vietnamese policemen around the airport and routes into town.
McNamara, who visited here in March, said on arrival:
"As you know, I have been meeting during the past two years every 30 to 60 days with the U.S. ambassador to South Viet Nam and with the commander of the military assistance forces here. This is another of those regular meetings."
THE AMBASSADOR, Henry Cabot Lodge, and the military chief, Gen. Paul D. Harkins, met McNamara at the airport.
"We will review the progress in achieving the program we agreed upon and laid out during my last visit in March." McNamara added.
"We will consider what additional action, if any, is required to fulfill the commitment of my government
Rusk Calls on Allies To Help Isolate Cuba
He called on America's allies to isolate Cuba "politically, economically, militarily, socially and spiritually."
THE HAGUE —(UPI)— Secretary of State Dean Rusk warned today that a second Cuban crises, as dangerous as that in 1962, could erupt if Cuba shoots down an American reconnaissance plane.
He also appealed to them to help shore up the beleaguered south Viet Nam regime with non-military aid in the form of hospitals, medical teams and help for farmers.
RUSK WAS the first speaker when the council began a sweeping world
to the South Vietnamese government, to provide whatever economic assistance and military training and logistical support is required in whatever form it is required, for however long it is required, to ensure defeat of the Communists."
Robles Leading In Panama Race
As McNamara drove into town, extra precautions were taken to supplement the normal strict security.
PANAMA CITY —(UPI)— Government candidate Marco Robles, campaigning on a platform of political independence from the United States, today widened his lead over ex-president Arnulfo Arias in Panama's tight presidential race.
With nearly 50 per cent of the ballots already tallied, Robles led Arias by a 15,000 vote margin—87,290 to 72,391. A third presidential candidate, Juan A. Galindo, who has already conceded defeat, polled 30,-997 votes.
"He's a madman," Robles said of Arias. "He can't stand the idea of defeat."
DESPITE ROBLES' campaign pledge to "free our foreign relations from traditional (U.S.) fetters," the government candidate—former interior (police) and justice minister in the outgoing administration of President Roberto F. Chiari—was not expected to take any extreme stand in negotiations.
Robles' edge was notable in that Arias' principal voting strength, in the city, was included in the early returns. Robles was conceded to be stronger politically in the interior.
Robles shrugged off Arias' victory claims.
Like Chiari, he is pledged to a peaceful re-negotiation with the United States of treaties relating to the joint relations of the two countries. Robles was, however, pledged to set about on an aggressive program of land reform.
IT SEEMED CERTAIN, however, that Arias would challenge the election outcome and perhaps delay official proclamation of a winner. His followers stoutly maintained Arias was being "robbed" of certain triumph but quoted no election returns to support their allegations.
Morning newspapers appeared with paid advertisements in which the camps of both Robles and Arias claimed their man was "President-Elect."
MCNAMARA AND LODGE conferred privately at the embassy, after which the secretary was briefed formally at the headquarters of the U.S. military assistance command on the progress of plans approved by President Johnson for winning the anti-Communist war.
If Arias does lose, it would be the first time in three starts that he had hailed to win the presidency. He did not finish either of the two terms in which he was elected, however—the Army ousted him in 1941 and again in 1951.
policy review at the start of its three-day spring session here.
Rusk said Cuban Premier Fidel Castro may show less restraint than the Soviets in interfering with American air reconnaissance over Cuba He warned a "very serious situation" would develop if an American plane were shot down.
EARLIER, ADDRESSING a formal opening session of the council, Rusk warned the communists are spreading their expansionist efforts to other parts of the world besides Europe. He said the free world must be ready to wipe out aggression wherever it is threatened.
Defense Department Spokesman Arthur Sylvester said there was "an intensive discussion" on the 12-point program, but declined to give any details. He also declined to say whether any "substantive change" had been noted since McNamara's last visit here in March.
In his speech to the first working session, Rusk delivered his expected appeal to America's allies to curb trade with Cuba and to help bolster embattled South Viet Nam with non-military aid.
BRITISH FOREIGN Secretary R. A. Butler, who spoke after him, replied that Britain shares this view too, but that the British government believes there are differences of methods by which it should be carried out.
On Viet Nam, Rusk said the United States would like other NATO members to make their contributions to shoring up the country's administration by providing non-military aid in the form of hospitals, medical teams and help for farmers.
Johnson Signs Bill On Pesticide Use
Sylvester called the meetings "an audit of those recommendations which Secretary McNamara and General (Maxwell D.) Taylor (chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) made to the President and which the President accepted in March."
WASHINGTON — (UPI) — President Johnson signed into law today a bill to provide tighter government control over use of pesticides.
"By closing loopholes which permitted pesticides to be sold before they were fully tested, this bill safeguards the health and lives of all Americans," he said.
The new law ended the procedure under which manufacturers could market a pesticide even though it had not obtained government clearance.
In a White House ceremony, Johnson said the government's concern "must always be the health of every American."
Observers said the security measures were the most thorough ever ordered for a visiting official. Plain-clothes guards mingled with the uniformed men and with the crowds.
Johnson said he was "sorry that one voice that spoke so eloquently" for such legislation was stilled—that of author Rachel Carson. Her book "The Silent Spring" stimulated a drive for the safeguards. She died last month.
Those who supported the bill argued that a questionable killer could be on the market for several months before a court decision was reached on its safety.
The President used a number of pens, as usual, to sign the bill and gave the first one to Sen. Abraham Ribicoff, D-Conn., a chief sponsor of the measure.
"Abe, I want you to have the L in Lyndon," Johnson said after using the pen to sign the first initial of his name. "You have been waiting for this a long day, I know."
THE PLOT TO BLOW up the bridge was the latest in an increasingly bold series of terrorist attacks in and around Saigon.
On May 2, terrorists exploded a bomb against the side of a U.S. aircraft carrier docked in Saigon harbor. Then they threw a grenade into a crowd that gathered to look at the partially submerged ship.
American servicemen and their dependents were subjected to bombing attacks earlier this spring. Bombs set off at a softball game and in a U.S. movie theater claimed many casualties.
of Staff, who arrived yesterday, he will remain in Viet Nam until tomorrow.
McNamara is making his second inspection trip here in two months. Accompanied by Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor, chairman of the Joint Chiefs
THE U.S. IS HEAVILY COMMITTED in South Viet Nam, with 15,000 troops serving as advisers to the Vietnamese army and an aid expenditure of 1.5 million a day.
McNamara and Secretary of State Dean Rusk have been trying to get the United States' European allies to share some of the burden of non-military aid to Viet Nam.
Rusk planned to ask the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NA-TO) members for such help durnig their three-day foreign ministers' meeting opening in the Haag today.
McNamara discussed the issue over the weekend with West German officials before his flight here.
He was assured that the West Germans are "sympathetic" to these American pleas. But a German government spokesman said the form in which the other NATO partners would share U.S. responsibilities in Viet Nam must still be discussed.
Jarvenpaa, Finland Becomes Sister City of Lawrence
Mayor Owens will respond on behalf of Lawrence by presenting Mayor Pyykko a silver key to the city. The momento can be worn by the Finnish mayor.
Lawrence and Jarvenpaa, Finland—where KU and the University of Colorado will hold their second cooperative Russian language institute this summer — will become "sister cities" today.
Presentation will be by Prof. Herbert J. Ellison, chairman of the KU Slavic and Soviet area program. Last summer he accompanied the group of 40 students from KU and other schools, who engaged in intensive language study in Jarvenpaa.
The new relationship will be formally established at the afternoon meeting of the Lawrence City Commission when Mayor James Owens receives an emblem of the Finnish city from Mayor Einar Pyvkko.
MAYOR PYYKKO asked Ellison to present the emblem, a white lyre centered on a bright blue banner. The lyre was chosen as the emblem of Jarvenpaa, because of the nearby residence of the composer Jan Sibelius.
Mayor Owens said a letter would be written to Mayor Pykko, extending him an invitation to visit Lawrence.
Referring to the Finnish city officials, Mayor Owens said, "We are proud of the fact that they went to the trouble to establish this relationship."
He said the Lawrence City Commission "will be glad to do whatever we can within the realm of our authority."
OTHER U.S. CITIES that have participated in sister city relationships have held exchange visits of community leaders and industrialists, and have sponsored longer exchanges of high school students.
Jarvenpaa has a population of about 12,000 and is located near Helsinki. Like Lawrence, it is growing rapidly.
Mayor Pykkko has been described in a popular Finnish magazine as one of the country's outstanding urban administrators.
The community, near the Soviet border, is the home of a number of Russian refugees who fled their country in the early 1940's. Through the generosity of Mayor Pyykko and his commission, the Russian-language institute participants were provided modern facilities which this summer will be expanded to include an entire school building.
The Classical Film Series
presents
Buster Keaton
in
THE GENERAL
(One of the great comedies of all times)
Wednesday, May 13
Fraser Theater—7 p.m.
Admission:$.60